VW unleashes even hotter GTI

Volkswagen has pulled the equivalent of a rabbit out of a hat by whipping the covers off this menacing orange creation.

Wattizit? Its official nomenclaure is 'Golf GTI Edition 30' and it's billed as a design study that commemorates the 30th anniversary of Volkswagen's iconic GTI, the car credited with initiating the hot-hatch craze following its 1976 debut.

It's fittting, then, that the design study packs an extra 30 horsepower (22kW) -- one for each year that's elapsed since the original GTi was unleashed. The 'concept' was trundled out at the Golf Record Day in the Veltins Arena in Schalke, Gelsenkirchen, with thousands of European Golf drivers looking on -- in all likelihood with drool hanging off their chins.

Apart from the aforementioned extra neddies, the Edition 30 also scores a handful of other tasty goodies, including a chunky set of flat black 18-inch alloy wheels, bespoke lower front and rear bumpers, side skirts and darkened tail lights.

Just in case you don't get the message, there's also a plaque on the right side of the rear hatch inscribed with “Edition 30” to let rival hot-hatch pilots know that they meddle with the 169kW rocket at their own peril.

The makeover extends to the interior, which gains part-leather sport seats with a distinctive 'Interlagos' diamond pattern in the cloth centre section.

The red-stitched leather steering wheel is trimmed with a clip with the 'GTI' logo on a red background. Another eye-catcher is the foil with the text 'Edition 30' on the door sill. A special highlight is the gearshift knob in the shape of a golf ball, while red-trimmed  floor mats add extra bling to the cabin.

Of course, you'll want to know when you can have one and how much you'll need to fork over. Well, the official line for now is that the GTI Edition 30 is just a design study, but word has it a limited number will be offered for sale in selected markets.

We can only hope -- make that pray -- that at least a handful of cars are earmarked for Oz.

Meanwhile, the standard Golf GTI makes for an entertaining enough package -- that is, if you can endure the six-month-plus waitlist.